Sunday, December 14, 2014

Murcat Manor: I finally pulled the trigger and sent off the final version of Murcat Manor to my editor for the final read through edit! This MS developed from 175 pages to about 345 by the time it's formatted. Time to do the Happy Dance.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond: I dove into this book a bit over the weekend. I went right to the Marketing section and perused a number of chapters from amazing writers and bloggers I know. I’m working on updating my Media Kit, so I enjoyed Sylvia Ney’s chapter very much.
We have a new Dell PC and with Windows 8.1 (I’m still getting used to it) am able to “Pin to Start” so an icon for this particular book appears on the desktop and I simply have to click it. That’s kind of a cool bell and whistle.

As we wind down 2014, I’m already planning ahead for a most amazing 2015. Lots of really cool stuff on tap and I’ll be spending the next few weeks getting a jump start on all of that.
Until then, enjoy these Holiday Follies!

Finally: What the cats of Murcat Manor do between killing the guests. Enjoy!

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Insecure Writers Support Group: I’m sitting on my manuscript and ready to send it off to my editor for the final read through / edits.

But I can’t. I’m at that stage where I’m reading through it “one more time” and catching little things here and there. Probably should leave that to my editor and just send it off.

I Can Quit Any Time

This has been a fun project and I’m very excited to move forward. Murcat Manor has grown from a novella to a full length story coming in at around 350 pages or so. I just need to click that SEND button and let it go off to my editor.

Okay, just one more read through and I’ll send it off this weekend. Just one more. Then I’ll quit. I promise!

Artist's Rendition of New Horizons and Pluto

You can sign up for and participate in the Insecure Writers Support Group HERE.

Did You Know: The New Horizons Spacecraft, launched nine years ago, is about to encounter the Pluto. This will be the first man made craft to visit the planet. New Horizons has spent much of its life in a hibernation of sorts to conserve energy, and will power up December 6th in preparation for a 2015 summer rendezvous with the dwarf planet. Along the way, the craft has visited and taken amazing images of Jupiter.

Jupiter and IO, captured by New Horizons

Fun Fact: In 2006 when the spacecraft first set sail, Pluto was considered a planet. Later that year, the International Astronomical Union vote to reclassify Pluto as a dwarf planet. Lots of people to this day still very upset about that, myself included.

But Wait, That’s Not All: There’s more exciting news! On December 4th, NASA’s new Orion spacecraft that will replace the Space Shuttle Program, is set to take a critical test flight. Orion will take mankind into deep space. The first planned stop is an asteroid in about ten years. Next up is Mars about a decade after that.
People, we truly live in exciting times!

A to Z Blog: We all know about the April A to Z event. But did you know people post there almost every day throughout the year? I post every first and third Thursday of each month for my Steve’s Science and Other Fun Stuff series. In fact, I’m posting there this Thursday on a couple fascinating topics that I’ll touch on below.

So if you have a Blog List on your side bar, or another way that you follow your fellow bloggers and blogettes, consider adding the A to Z Blog Link to it. It’s a great way to keep in the loop on a wide array of topics in the blogging realm!

Remember: Stop by the A to Z Blog later this week or over the weekend for more exciting stuff regarding the New Horizons mission and all the cool things it has it to do!